Introduction

The National State of Environment (SoE) report is the major mechanism through which resource management and environmental issues are comprehensively reported and analysed on scales that transcend local authority and provincial boundaries. Although reporting on the state of the environment is not mandatory at this point in time, the department has decided to commission a comprehensive assessment of, and report on the state of the environment in South Africa. This will be the first comprehensive report since 1999.

• Provide objective, accurate and scientifically credible information about the condition and prospects of the South African environment;
• Increase public understanding of these issues;
• Continue the development of national environmental indicators, and report on these indicators;
• Provide an early warning of potential problems;
• Report on the effectiveness of policies and programs designed to respond to environmental change, including progress toward achieving environmental standards and targets; and
• Make recommendations for strengthening policies and programmes.

The complexities and technical nature of assessing and reporting on the state of the environment are such that the planning, management and coordination of tasks are to be packaged in a single programme. The department will appoint a consultant to assist the department with the management of all the activities required to achieve the objectives of the programme. This will include the coordination, management and financial control of the activities of all elements related to the compilation of the national state of the environment report.

An important focus of this project is to empower historically disadvantaged individuals (HDIs) in environmental assessment and reporting. It is therefore a requirement that the appointed consultant must include historically disadvantaged individuals in the project team and to ensure that they are part and parcel of the day-to-day management and coordination of the activities to be undertaken. The aim of this will be to ensure the transfer of project management skills to historically disadvantaged individuals or firms. In addition to the requirement of transferring of technical skills it is a requirement that the management and co-ordination team should be sufficiently diverse as to ensure a balanced group to manage a project of this magnitude and diversity.

The management of the project will be conducted within the general guideline for state of the environment reporting, which is promoted by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to ensure sustainability and compatibility with sub-national reporting initiatives, as well as regional and Africa-wide reporting initiatives.

Main components

To ensure that the above objectives are met, the study has been structured into three major components:
Component 1: Initiation of the project, by conducting a comprehensive national planning session. At this session, the issues reported on in the 1999 state of the environment report should be revisited and if necessary, new issues that have emerged since 1999 should be identified in order to confirm the issues that the 2005 state of the environment report will include. Based on the outcome of the national planning session, the the scope of work will be drawn up.
Component 2: Programme management and financial control of all activities related to the compilation of the national report.
Component 3: Coordination of activities related to compilation of the national state of the environment report, associated products and the assessment of impact.

Deliverables and outputs

Specific deliverables/outputs will be the following:

1. A comprehensive analysis of the current state of the environment in South Africa. The analysis will be based on specialist studies conducted for each of the major themes confirmed at the national workshop.
2. A state of the environment report, based on the specialist studies.
3. A short, plain language Internet report using the national Publikit template (under development).
4. Issue summaries.
5. Regular newsletters to stakeholders.
6. An assessment of the impact of the national state of the environment initiative, and an impact report.

Programme organisation

The roll-out of the 2005 National State of the Environment Report will be overseen by a Project Steering Committee (PSC) The following membership criteria served as a basis for the selection/nomination of the members of the PSC:

• Although the project has a national focus, it serves all levels of government. All levels of government should therefore be represented (selectively).
• The project should be steered by a multidisciplinary team, and all branches within DEAT should have representation on the PSC.
• The PSC should be chaired as a minimum on Director level.

• Project Director: Director State of the Environment DEAT.
• Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
• Department of Land Affairs
• Department of Provincial and Local Government
• The following components in DEAT:
  • Tourism Development
  • Regulatory Services
  • Pollution and Waste Management
  • Biodiversity and Heritage
  • TFCA's & Protected Areas
  • Planning and Coordination
  • Marine and Coastal Management
  • Communications
  • DEAT SoER consultant

• All members must be nominated, mandated representatives of their respective institutions;
• The PSC will monitor, evaluate, review and advise on the process and products of the NSoER project as they develop;
• The PSC will have the authority to approve adjustments in project activities within the overall budget;
• The PSC will approve final outputs and progress reports;
• Members will provide high-level direction and policy guidance to the NSoER project;
• The PSC will advise DEAT on mechanisms to facilitate communication and liaison with relevant stakeholders;
• The PSC will raise awareness of the importance of the NSoER within high-level bodies of government;
• The PSC will advise on the communications strategy for the NSoER, including publicity of the process;
• The PSC will accept responsibility for communication within their own institution regarding the NSoER project process and outputs;
• The PSC will oversee and give guidance to the process of submitting the NSoER for political approval.
• Meetings of the PSC will be called by or through the Chairperson;
• The meetings of the PSC will be scheduled in accordance with the development and production of major project outputs and reports;
• The PSC will report regularly to Mintec/CEC on progress;
• The PSC will reach consensus on decision making mechanisms within the Committee. Should the PSC fail to reach consensus on a major issue, the matter will be referred to the Chairperson (or his delegated representative) for discussion and resolution.